On completion of the course the students will be able to:

1. explain perspectives and concepts for addressing sustainability challenges,
2. explain theories, perspectives, and concepts addressing systems,

3. apply systems thinking to analyse sustainability challenges in for-profit and nonprofit organisations and their ecosystems and design strategies to address such challenges with a system perspective,

4. evaluate the impact of the relationships among entities in systems and how such impact affects social, ecological, and economic dimensions of sustainability,
5. distinguish the role of responsibility of CEOs, managers, and entrepreneurs towards sustainability challenges.

The course introduces theories and perspectives addressing sustainability challenges and systems. In the course, students gain knowledge about grand sustainability challenges and wicked problems, as well as systems theories. Systems theories range from earth science systems to systems thinking, complex systems, complex adaptive systems, dynamic systems and ecosystems. Students explore underlying interactions, interdependencies, and mechanisms of sustainability challenges with a systems perspective through cases and real life examples. The topics covered in the course include:

• Perspectives and concepts for addressing sustainability challenges, including grand societal challenges and wicked problems,Theories, perspectives, and concepts for systems, including systems thinking, complex systems, dynamic systems and ecosystems.
• Case analysis of sustainable and non sustainable systemic problems with different theories.

Connection to Research and Practice
The course is based on research on various theories and perspectives of systems. The literature in the course includes books, blogs, and journal articles embracing systems in an embedded view of sustainability. Through the analysis and application of the selected materials, the students examine each topic and learn about the implications and considerations of systems thinking from a theoretical as well as practical perspective. The course is core to MMTC and CEFEO research centres where research on sustainability has been initiated. Students participate in group project work which includes application-oriented seminars with case studies for the development of students’ complexity awareness in line with the Inner Development Goals. The course activities foster students’ ability to understand and work with complex and systemic conditions and casualties.

Lectures, seminars, guest lectures, group projects, discussions, and presentations. The teaching

The teaching is conducted in English.

General entry requirements and taken courses of 15 credits in Business Administration and/or Economics including the course The Sustainable Enterprise – Social and Ecological Perspectives, 7,5 credits (or the equivalent).

The course is graded A, B, C, D, E, FX or F.

Individual written assignments (ILOs: 1, 2, 3, 5) representing 2,5 credits.
Group assignment and presentation (ILOs: 1, 2, 3, 4) representing 2,5 credits.

Name of the Test	Value	Grading
Individual written assignments1	2.5 credits	A/B/C/D/E/FX/F
Group assignment and presentation1	2.5 credits	A/B/C/D/E/FX/F

¹ All parts of the compulsory examination in the course must be passed with a passing grade (A-E) before a final grade can be set. The final grade of the course is determined by the sum total of points for all parts of the examination in the course (0-100 points). Grade is set in accordance to JIBS grading policy.

It is the responsibility of the examiner to ensure that each course is evaluated. At the outset of the course, the programme evaluators in the course must be contacted. In the middle of the course, the examiner should meet the programme evaluators to identify strengths/weaknesses in the first half of the course.
At the end of the course, the examiner should remind students to fill in the survey. The examiner should also call a meeting with the programme evaluators to debrief the course, based on course evaluation data and comments. The next time the course runs, students should be informed of any measures taken to improve the course based on the previous course evaluations.
At the end of each study period, JIBS’ Director of Quality and Accreditation crafts a “Course Evaluation Quarter Report”, presenting the quantitative results from course evaluation surveys. The Associate Dean of Education, The Associate Deans of Faculty, Programme Directors, and JSA President and Quality receive the report.

Academic integrity
JIBS students are expected to maintain a strong academic integrity. This implies to behave within the boundaries of academic rules and expectations relating to all types of teaching and examination.
Copying someone else’s work is a particularly serious offence and can lead to disciplinary action. When you copy someone else’s work, you are plagiarising. You must not copy sections of work (such as paragraphs, diagrams, tables and words) from any other person, including another student or any other author. Cutting and pasting is a clear example of plagiarism. There is a workshop and online resources to assist you in not plagiarising called the Interactive Anti-Plagiarism Guide.
Other forms of breaking academic integrity include (but are not limited to) adding your name to a project you did not work on (or allowing someone to add their name), cheating on an examination, helping other students to cheat and submitting other students work as your own, and using non-allowed electronic equipment during an examination. All of these make you liable to disciplinary action.

A list of articles will be supplied at the course introduction.